Eyes, Memory

It has been established from early age that each gender plays a different role in society. Feminism is believing in the economic, social, political, and intellectual equality between both men and women, not female supremacy. In Breath, Eyes, Memory, Edwidge Danticat expresses the theme of feminism by creating characters for whom bravery, strength, and education are significant values.
Bravery is a powerful value for the characters in the novel. In Haitian culture, people view bravery as a characteristic that only men are able to possess but, Danticat accentuates braveness through the character of Martine. Danticat portrays Martine to be, "as brave as stars at dawn" ( Danticat 234) despite the traumatizing event that occurred in the past
Even with the severe suffering from her disturbing experiences, she continues to work hard in New York to provide support for her family back in Haiti. Danticat also reiterates this fact by comparing Martine resilience to being brave as a star. Resembling Martine, a star is considered brave because its existence addresses to surviving the struggle against the forces of darkness and the unknown. Furthermore, Grandmè Ifé is also a character that shows braveness. Danticat conveys this by establishing Grandmè Ifé to be a fearless character. She is remarkably candid with her beliefs, is not afraid to speak her mind, and she strongly believes that “if a [woman] is worth remembering … there is no need to have her name carved in letters” (128). Grandmè Ifé’s outspoken characteristic portrays her braveness by being an advocate for women in the Haitian community. Ifé helps restate the theme of feminism by believing that women must
Specifically, the woman from the Haitian restaurant is able to demonstrate tremendous strength. She stands up in opposition to the "cowardly men speaking against women who [are] proving themselves" (55). Her actions show immense strength because she is able to gather the courage to stand up for women. Through her actions, she helps to renew the theme of feminism by being mentally and emotionally strong. In addition, Danticat uses the Haitian female goddess of love, Erzulie, to show the value of strength. After Sophie loses her virginity, she recalls the story of a bleeding women who, through Erzulie’s help is “transformed [to a butterfly] and never bled again” (88). Erzulie consoles and strengthens women who are vulnerable and weak. In the nature of gender stereotypes, feminine qualities include being gentle, soft, and powerless, while masculine traits include toughness, strength, and authority. Although being a feminist does not require a person to be a certain way, there must be a balance to achieve gender equality. When needed, women must break free from the stereotype of being “feminine” and maintain a strong and independent persona. Through Erzulie, Haitian women are able to gather the strength they need in order to socially survive in their environment. Being able to stand up for oneself and sustaining a strong image is a factor for women to be treated